The devastating Colorado flooding of 2013 lent itself to poetic descriptions as local media outlets worked around the clock to bring information, stunning video and colorful metaphors to consumers. Some of the poetry played fast and loose with facts — even the National Weather Service described the rains as being “of Biblical proportions” (who knew their record-keeping went so far back?). Some viewers found that, while the raging, ravaging, torrential pictures painted by anchors were amazing, sometimes the information was read too quickly to note the boundaries of neighborhoods affected, minus map graphics. The sound of rushing water minus words was sometimes the most astounding.

In times of crisis, it’s not easy to balance quick and clear, fact-based reporting with the more flowery descriptions inspired by dramatic events. Official word was: stay in, watch the news.

Notes on the media deluge:
KMGH and KUSA stayed with the story longest, delivering new information well after KDVR gave up and went with “TMZ” and KCNC gave in to “The Young and the Restless.”

Longtime Colorado broadcasters gave the best geographic reference points of road closures and what we were seeing in helicopter shots. Greg Moss was helpful in that respect. Among the more poetic standouts: Will Ripley and Kyle Clark of 9News. Steadfast in the field: Tyler Lopez and Lance Hernandez of 7News.

Speaking of helicopter shots, “Airtracker 7” and “Sky9” are the same bird, part of the ongoing sharing arrangement, a cost-saving measure by the two stations. The need to keep airspace clear for search and rescue flights kept the chopper close to the Denver metro area, rather than conveying pictures of the hardest-hit areas.

At a press conference, Gov. Hickenlooper noted the prevalence of personal media getting in the way, warning folks with cellphones to knock off the picture-taking in deadly circumstances. “People have their media and want to get a better shot,” he said, shaking his head.

Meterologists worked overtime to give an idea of what was falling from the skies. “An inch or two an hour” of rain, Dave Fraser said. Where Kathy Sabine clocked it at “a year’s worth of precip in two days’ time.” Which sounds wetter?

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.